Stock list help?

[wet dreamer]

Hi all,

I'm a brand new aqua hobbyist and started on my quest for a tank after learning to scuba dive in Roatan in the Caribbean. I started by reading everything I could from books including "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" and others all the way to the many wonderful posts by leebca and others that sold me on joining this site. Anyways after much thinking and debate I just purchased a 220 gallon drilled tank and stand by Marineland. I also purchased a 75 gallon plain tank to be used as a sump. I am hiring a local guy that does tank maintenance professionally to help get me started but he does have a relationship with an LFS so I am still somewhat leery that he will try to sell me or give me biased advice. We are meeting tomorrow after work to create a list of the other items I will need including skimmer, return pumps, heaters, etc. but it is this time that I plan to present him with a stock fish list of what I want and I wanted to see what you all have to say also. My tank will be a FOWLR cause I think that's better for a beginner like me and I want to stick with a Caribbean theme so keep that in mind in making any recommendations. Here is what I'm thinking but I will have lots of cycling time to make adjustments.

Queen angel
Blue Caribbean tang
Yellowtail damsel
Royal Gramma
Blackcap Basslet
Clown wrasse or Yellowhead Wrasse or Bluehead wrasse
Sailfin Blenny (a caribbean type?)
Blue reef chromis (3)

Any ideas on a user friendly caribbean "cleaner crew" type is appreciated. Also any invert suggestions welcome.

Thanks in advance and its nice meeting everyone!

[Reefing Madness]

Caribbean Snail
Saltwater Aquarium Snails for Marine Reef Aquariums: Nassarius Snail

Caribbean Fish
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Caribbean Fish - puffer, bass, hogfish, jawfish, basslet

[leebca]

There is a good article here in Reefland on clean up crews. Also some articles elsewhere on the various types of snails. Here are their links:
Clean Up Crews | Reefland

3 articles on snails:
The Grazing Snails, Part I - Turbo, Trochus, Astraea, and Kin by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com
The Grazing Snails, Part II - Abalones, Limpets and Nerites by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com
The Grazing Snails, Part III: Conchs, Ceriths, Cowries, and Columbellids by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

The geographic tank is one nowadays very few hobbyists want. I find them very satisfying but have to admit I like so many fishes from so many different places that I could never setup a tank for a specific water region.

I would point out that you really want to keep this aquarium cooler than most tropical aquariums. Favor keeping it at 75F (or a bit less if you can manage to). Surface Carribean water temps do range from 70 to a bit over 80, but most fishes do come from the mid-70's in general.

I understand your concern about getting advice. Reading up on things is about your best defense from being misled. Make your own list of equipment, test equipment, etc. and use these posts to help you: Setting Up a FOWLR Aquarium and What is Water Quality

Remember, the hobby has few standards. Any package promises may or may not be true, much less the advice you are given. Knowing what is right is your best course. If you have doubts about a particular point, post it here for others' opinions.

Good luck!

[wet dreamer]

Thanks for the confidence. We actually couldn't meet tonight. The more I read though the more confident I get about doing things on my own. I actually have your Setting up a fowlr page on bookmark. I see that you recommend keeping the tank in the 75 range, will that give me issues if I decide to add something outside the caribbean box? Probably will depend on what it is huh? I have more questions for you....lemme go ask em in the proper forums.

[leebca]

It is only that, if your goal is to setup a system that is representative of a certain area of the ocean, it gives the opportunity to customize the system to match as closely as possible to the natural habitat.

If you decide to not have that kind of system, then keeping temperatures at 78 is fine, although the more Caribbean marine life you have, the more you want to strive to keep the temperature lower. But if you think you'll be running into the 80+ temperatures, you might want to consider keeping tropical marine life that better tolerates those temperatures. How will you guess this? Usually by the choice of equipment (does it generate a lot of heat; medium; or do the makers claim low heat); lighting (higher intensity the more heat -- usually); the room/house temperature and air circulations; will you be using a chiller; etc.

I only review posts in this and the Marine Fish: Care, Health and Disease Treatment Forum. I moderate forums in other sites so I don't stray outside where I respond.

[wet dreamer]

Okay Lee I got my tank running finally and now it has been 2 weeks and I am trying to follow your FOWLR instructions as close as possible. I don't have my rock yet so the tank ran the first week with just water then the second week it ran with live sand. I went with the live sand (against your recommendation) only because it was the most visually appealing to me of the options at my LFS. I think it was called arag-alive or something. Don't worry its definately less than 1 inch. The live sand is still causing some noticeable ammonia on the test kits but I realize that my cycling wont really start till my rock arrives next week. I ordered 200lbs of primo decorator rock to start from Florida Saltwater Live Rock, Aquarium Live Rock at great wholesale prices that will arrive wednesday Nov 9. I may need more but I want to see how much space first. My questions so far are: I am noticing that every evening when I do my testing around 8 the tank temp is between 85.2 to 85.6 which is in range for a caribbean tank like you recommended but I am noticing according to my digital thermo that it swings from 84 - 86 degrees in about a 24 hour period, should I have less fluctuation or is that normal as the heaters come on and off? Also, I have the tank filled with the premixed RO water from the LFS but am switching to reef crystals and my own RO/DI unit. I was thinking of doing my first water change when I put the rock in since the tank has been mostly empty. Should I do another one now and or is that a waste of time? Lastly, my 220 perfecto has the factory overflows and I am running 2 mag 18's as return pumps. Thats 3600 gph on a fowlr system with approx 260 total gallons with sump. which is more than the 10x recommended right? but am I gonna have too many dead spots? think i'm gonna need a powerhead lower in the tank? I appreciate all this help so much.

oh ya! Have you ever heard of olive snails? The live rock place wants me to buy some that they can ship with my rock but I can't find much on them.

thanks

[leebca]

No problem with the live or not-live sand. If it was appealing, then go for it. It's just that, as you have found out, 'live' sand doesn't prevent an ammonia/nitrite spike.

When the live rock arrives, remember that you really prefer to have the LR sitting on the aquarium bottom, not on the aquarium substrate.

I want to make sure you just don't have a typo there -- the temperature is in the 80's or is it in the 70's? You want to keep temperature swings to a minimum. The two dregree swing would be the maximum you'd want. The fish see zero temperature differences on a daily basis.

Unless you see (or smell) something wrong with the water in your tank, wait for the LR for your first water change. Disturbing the substrate when the LR goes in will suspend some of the fine particles and they are good to siphon off as part of your water change.

Wait for the LR to be in place before deciding on needing more water circulation. After you are done landscaping, look for and find dead spots. See if redirecting water flow will disturb the dead or slow spots before adding more water circulation. That is, try to work with what you have by redirecting it, before adding more.

"Olive" refers to the general shape of the shell of this 'snail.' It is not a preferred aquarium snail. It is predatory in nature and it may not really be tropical, since they are found in all different temperatures of water. I'd say your source is just trying to get rid of them. Some types have been known to generate a mucous that is offensive to other marine life forms. For the same type of foods they eat (dead flesh), I'd stick with the Nassarius Snails (Nassarius vibex), although they are best for deeper sand beds.

[wet dreamer]

Ya duh I meant 70's and said 80's. I haven't yet turned the heat on at home and its been getting cool overnight. In the days I've been watching it varies from around 1 degree to 2 at the most. Once I settle the temp swings in the house the tank shouldn't change much. I will keep an eye on it.